Dry shaver

ABSTRACT

A dry shaver having a single shaft actuating at least two shaving heads formed by concentric shear plates adapted to be elevated and depressed relative to each other, each shear plate provided with a cooperating rotary cutter member resiliently maintained in engagement with the associated shear plate by separate springs between each two cutter members, the shear plates being coupled to one another in their extreme raised and depressed positions.

United States Patent Zuurveen 1 51 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] DRY SHAVER3,136,055 6/1964 Kobler et al. ..30/43.1

3,233,323 2 1966 ..3O 3. [72] Inventor: Frans Zuurveen, Emmasingel,Eindhoven, Drelssen l4 6 x Netherlands FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 11 Assigneer Philips Corporation, New York, NY 784,909 10 1957 GreatBritain ..30 43.5

[22] Filed: 1969 Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon [21] Appl. No.:852,306 Assistant ExaminerR. C Riordon Attorney-Frank R. Trifari [30]Foreign Application Priorlty Data 57 ABSTRACT Aug. 31, 1968 Netherlands..68l2448 A y Shaver having a Single Shaft actuating at least two Shawing heads formed by concentric shear plates adapted to be [52] CI30/154651 elevated and depressed relative to each other, each shear late51 Int Cl B26b 19/14 P provided with a cooperating rotary cutter memberresiliently [58] FueldoiSearch ..30/43.1,43.3,43.4,43.5, t h t d h I t b30/416 43-7 418 439] 3465] main ame n engagement wit t e assocrae s earpae y separate springs between each two cutter members, the shear platesbeing coupled to one another in their extreme raised [56] Referencescued and de ressed ositions.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2,526,153 10/1950Page ..30/43.91

PATENTEU M26197? 3536526 sum 1 or 2 INVENTOK FRANS ZUURVEEN BY PATENTEDmes 1972- SHEET 2 or 2 INVENTOR.

FRANS Z UURVEEN DRY SHAVER The invention relates to a dryshavingapparatus having a casing with a longitudinal axis, a single drivingshaft, and at least two depressible shaving heads which are actuated bythe driving shaft and are positioned successively adjacent in atransverse direction to the axis, each shaving head comprising a shearplate which is provided with hair passage apertures and is defined incross section by two, spaced U-shaped parts, a cooperating cutter memberwhich is arranged to be driven and is resiliently maintained inengagement with the respective shear plate, while the shear plates arecoupled to each other and are displaceable upward to their extremeraised positions and downward to their depressed positions.

Each user of a dry-shaving apparatus occasionally tends to depress thedepressible shaving heads as far as possible. When a known apparatus ishandled in such manner the shaving heads are liable to become relativelydisarranged, which may give rise to the possibility of injury to theuser.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate this disadvantage and theinvention is distinguished in that the shear plates are coupled when intheir extreme depressed positions. An embodiment is characterized inthat the shear plate of a shaving head is movable axially andsubstantially vertically with respect to the shear plate of one of theadjoining shaving heads; this movement is between two stops which arespaced axially and are provided on one lateral wall of each pair ofadjacent surfaces of the respective adjoining shear plates.

In another embodiment a lateral wall of a shear plate of a shaving headis provided with circumferentially spaced slots with studs provided onthe adjoining lateral wall of the shear plate of the respectiveadjoining shaving head, the studs being slidingly and fittinglydisplaceable relative to said slots. In this highly advantageousembodiment a relative rotary movement of the shaving heads is prevented.

An additional advantage of the invention consists in its property thatthe shaving heads when pressed against the parts of the face to beshaved are capable of adapting themselves to the various shapes of theseparts in a manner such that during shaving a large part of the shearplates are in continuous engagement with these parts. This property ofthe invention is characterized in that the shaving heads in theirextreme raised positions are spaced from one another successivelyupwardly and in their extreme depressedpositions are spaced from oneanother successively downwardly while in the extreme raised position thecentrally situated shaving head is spaced from a motor actuating theapparatus by the greatest distance and in the extreme depressed positionthe outermost shaving head occupies this remotest position.

The invention will be described more fully with reference to a drawing,which shows an embodiment and from which further advantageous featureswill become apparent and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 show schematically and in detail the coupling between theshear plates,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spring system to be used, and

FIG. 5 is a schematic elevation of two positions which the shaving headsmay occupy with respect to one another.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a holder 1 which embraces a group ofdepressible shaving heads 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are actuated by a drivingshaft 6. A lower part 7 of noncircular cross section of the drivingshaft 6 is coupled with a motor drive shaft 8 for rotary motion. Each ofthe shaving heads 2, 3, 4 and 5 comprises a cutter member 9, 10, 11 and12 which consists of a blade-carrying holder part l3, l4, l5 and 16which is provided with at least one blade arm l7, 18, 19 and 20,respectively. The cutter members of the outer shaving heads usuallycomprise a greater number of blade arms than the cutter members of thecentral shaving heads. Each shaving head 2, 3, 4 and 5 also comprises ashear plate 21, 22, 23 and 24, respectively, which is provided with hairpassage apertures and has in cross section, two spaced substantiallyU-shaped parts.

The shear plates 21, 22 and 23 are each movably arranged between twostops which are spaced from one another in the axial direction and whichare provided on one lateral wall of each pair of adjoining shaving heads22, 23 and 24, respectively, the outermost shear plate being arranged soas to be movable upward and downward in the axial direction between twostops provided on the inner wall of the holder 1.

The cutter members 9, 10, 11 and 12 are coupled for rotary motion withan upper part of the driving shaft 6 shaped in the form of a couplingpin 25. The holder parts 13, 14, I5 and 16 are resiliently supported bya spring system comprising independent but series-operating springs 26,27, 28 and 29. The spring 26 is helical, and the springs 27, 28 and 29are uniformpitch conical compression springs. Obviously, other springsor spring systems may be substitutedfor the above-mentioned springs.Thus, for example, each spring may consist of a spring system 31 whichcomprises at least three parallel-operating leaf-springs 30 (FIG. 4).Such a spring system provides the advantage that in the case of acomparativelyslight depression a comparatively slight increase of thethrust force to be exerted by the spring system 31 is obtainable. I

The driving shaft 6 is resiliently arranged by means of a helical spring33 surrounding a middle part 32 of this shaft '6. This helical spring 33exerts a thrust force upon the free upper end of the motor-couplingshaft 8 and upon the lower surface of the coupling pin 25. The uppersurface 34 of the coupling pin 25 is urged against the lower surface ofthe central shear plate 21. The coupling pin 25 passes with a certainamount of clearance through central apertures provided in theblade-carrying holder parts 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the cutter members 9,10, 11 and 12, respectively.

With respect to the shear plates coupled for rotary motion, it should benoted that a lateral wall 35 (FIG. 2) of a shear plate of a shaving headis provided with slots 36 which are circumferentially spaced and extendsubstantially axially, and in which studs 38 provided on the adjoininglateral wall (FIG. 3) of the shear plate of the respective adjoiningshaving head are displaceable axially with a sliding fit, while theinner wall part of the holder 1 at the level of the outermost shavinghead 5 is designed substantially as the other, nonadjoining lateral wallof the shear plate 24 of this shaving head 5. V

In their extreme raised positions 39 (FIG. 5) the shear plates2l, 22, 23and 24 are spaced from one another in the axial direction, the centralshear plate 21 being spaced by the greatest distance from the motor (notshown) which actuates the apparatus, while the shear plates 21, 22, 23and 24 in their extreme depressed positions 40 are spaced from oneanother in the axial, the outennost shear plate 24 then being spacedfrom the motor by thegreatestdistance. Between these extreme positions39 and 40 of the shear plates 24, 23, 22 and 21 these shear plates arecapable of adapting themselves to the shapes of the parts of the face tobe shaved, with the result that during shaving a comparatively largearea of engagement is continuously obtained. g

The shaving heads shown in FIG. l are disposed concentrically about oneanother. Obviously, the invention is not restricted to such anembodiment provided with a rotary drive. The invention may also beapplied to shaving apparatuses provided with a reciprocating drive.

I claim:

1. In a dry shaver including a casing with upper and lower parts along alongitudinal axis, a single drive shaft, and at least two concentricshaving heads, each shaving head comprising a shear plate which hashair-receiving apertures and is mounted in the casing for axial movementupward to its top position and downward to its depressed position, and acutter associated with each plate and driven by the drive shaft, theshaver further including a plurality of series-operating springs, oneengaging and urging each cutter upward into resilient engagement withits corresponding shear plate which is urged thereby to its topposition, the casing restraining the first shear plate in its top anddepressed positions, the remaining shear plates being successivelyadjacent to the first and successively coupled together for restrainingeach shear plate in its respective top and depressed positions.

2. In a dry shaver including a casing having top and bottom parts, asingle central drive shaft having first and second parts, first andsecond concentric cutters driven by said first part of the shaft, firstand second concentric shear plates with hairreceiving apertures, oneassociated with each of the corresponding cutters, and each mounted inthe casing for axial movement upward to a top position and downward to adepressed position, a first spring between said second part of the shaftand the first cutter urging same and its associated shear plate upward,a second compressed spring between the cutters urging adjacent cuttersand their associated shear plates axially apart, the casing furthercomprising axially spaced stop means for limiting the first shear platebetween top and depressed positions, and further stop means betweenadjacent shear plates for limiting axial movement of each relative tothe other between top and depressed positions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the central shear plate, ofsaid plurality of concentric shear plates, is spaced higher from thelower part of the casing than the other shear plates, when all are intheir top positions.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first shear plate is mostremote from the central axis and one spring of said spring systemextends between a part of the casing and the lower surface of the cutterassociated with this first shear plate, and all the cutters aresuccessively adjacent, and another spring of said spring system isdisposed between each pair of adjacent cutters.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the casing and the first shearplate have one edge each of a pair of adjacent edges, and each two,adjacent shear plates have one edge each of a pair of adjacent edges,and said means for coupling the shear plates comprises a pair of axiallyspaced stops on one of each of said pairs of edges and an elementmovable between said stops on the other of each of said pairs of edges.

6. [n a dry shaver including a casing with upper and lower parts along alongitudinal axis, a single drive shaft, and at least two shaving heads,each shaving head comprising a shear plate which has hair-receivingapertures and is mounted in the casing for axial movement upward to itstop position and downward to its depressed position, and a cutterassociated with each plate and driven by the drive shaft, the shaverfurther including a plurality of series-operating springs, one engagingand urging each cutter upward into resilient engagement with itscorresponding shear plate which is urged thereby to its top position,the casing restraining the first shear plate in its top and depressedpositions, the remaining shear plates being successively adjacent to thefirst and successively coupled together for restraining each shear platein its respective top and depressed positions.

7. [n a dry shaver including a casing with a single drive shaft having acoupling part and a drive part and at least two axially spaced cuttersdriven by said drive part of the shaft, shear plates with hair-receivingapertures, one associated with each cutter and mounted in the casing foraxial movement upward to its top position and downward to its depressedposition, a first spring between the coupling part of the shaft and onecutter, urging same and its associated shear plate upward, anotherspring between each two adjacent cutters urging them and theirassociated shear plates axially apart and means for coupling all theshear plates successively together and to the housing for restrainingthese plates in their respective top and depressed positions.

8. In a dry shaver including a casing with upper and lower parts along alongitudinal axis, a single drive shaft, and at least two concentricshaving heads, each shaving head comprising a shear plate which hashair-receiving apertures and is mounted in the casing for axial movementupward to its top position and depression to its bottom position, and acutter associated with each plate and driven by the drive shaft, theshaver further including a spring system comprising a plurality ofsefies-connected s rings, one engaging1 and urging each cutter upwardinto resr rent engagement wit its corresponding shear plate which isurged to its top position, the casing restraining the first shear platein its top position, the remaining shear plates being successivelyadjacent to the first and successively coupled together for restrainingeach shear plate in its respective top position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the drive shaft is coaxialwith said concentric shear plates and corresponding cutters, and saidspring system comprises uniform-pitch conical springs disposed aboutsaid shaft.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each spring comprises anarrangement of three parallel-connected leaf springs.

1. In a dry shaver including a casing with upper and lower parts along alongitudinal axis, a single drive shaft, and at least two concentricshaving heads, each shaving head comprising a shear plate which hashair-receiving apertures and is mounted in the casing for axial movementupward to its top position and downward to its depressed position, and acutter associated with each plate and driven by the drive shaft, theshaver further including a plurality of series-operating springs, oneengaging and urging each cutter upward into resilient engagement withits corresponding shear plate which is urged thereby to its topposition, the casing restraining the first shear plate in its top anddepressed positions, the remaining shear plates being successivelyadjacent to the first and successively coupled together for restrainingeach shear plate in its respective top and depressed positions.
 2. In adry shaver including a casing having top and bottom parts, a singlecentral drive shaft having first and second parts, first and secondconcentric cutters driven by said first part of the shaft, first andsecond concentric shear plates with hair-receiving apertures, oneassociated with each of the corresponding cutters, and each mounted inthe casing for axial movement upward to a top position and downward to adepressed position, a first spring between said second part of the shaftand the first cutter urging same and its associated shear plate upward,a second compressed spring between the cutters urging adjacent cuttersand their associated shear plates axially apart, the casing furthercomprising axially spaced stop means for limiting the first shear platebetween top and depressed positions, and further stop means betweenadjacent shear plates for limiting axial movement of each relative tothe other between top and depressed positions.
 3. Apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein the central shear plate, of said plurality of concentricshear plates, is spaced higher from the lower part of the casing thanthe other shear plates, when all are in their top positions. 4.Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first shear plate is mostremote from the central axis and one spring of said spring systemextends between a part of the casing and the lower surface of the cutterassociated with this first shear plate, and all the cutters aresuccessively adjacent, and another spring of said spring system isdisposed between each pair of adjacent cutters.
 5. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein the casing and the first shear plate have one edgeeach of a pair of adjacent edges, and each two, adjacent shear plateshave one edge each of a pair of adjacent edges, and said means forcoupling the shear plates comprises a pair of axially spaced stops onone of each of said pairs of edges and an element movable between saidstops on the other of each of said pairs of edges.
 6. In a dry shaverincluding a casing with upper and lower parts along a longitudinal axis,a single drive shaft, and at least two shaving heads, each shaving headcomprising a shear plate which has hair-receiving apertures and ismounted in the casing for axial movement upward to its top position anddownward to its depressed position, and a cutter associated with eachplate and drivEn by the drive shaft, the shaver further including aplurality of series-operating springs, one engaging and urging eachcutter upward into resilient engagement with its corresponding shearplate which is urged thereby to its top position, the casing restrainingthe first shear plate in its top and depressed positions, the remainingshear plates being successively adjacent to the first and successivelycoupled together for restraining each shear plate in its respective topand depressed positions.
 7. In a dry shaver including a casing with asingle drive shaft having a coupling part and a drive part and at leasttwo axially spaced cutters driven by said drive part of the shaft, shearplates with hair-receiving apertures, one associated with each cutterand mounted in the casing for axial movement upward to its top positionand downward to its depressed position, a first spring between thecoupling part of the shaft and one cutter, urging same and itsassociated shear plate upward, another spring between each two adjacentcutters urging them and their associated shear plates axially apart andmeans for coupling all the shear plates successively together and to thehousing for restraining these plates in their respective top anddepressed positions.
 8. In a dry shaver including a casing with upperand lower parts along a longitudinal axis, a single drive shaft, and atleast two concentric shaving heads, each shaving head comprising a shearplate which has hair-receiving apertures and is mounted in the casingfor axial movement upward to its top position and depression to itsbottom position, and a cutter associated with each plate and driven bythe drive shaft, the shaver further including a spring system comprisinga plurality of series-connected springs, one engaging and urging eachcutter upward into resilient engagement with its corresponding shearplate which is urged to its top position, the casing restraining thefirst shear plate in its top position, the remaining shear plates beingsuccessively adjacent to the first and successively coupled together forrestraining each shear plate in its respective top position. 9.Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the drive shaft is coaxial withsaid concentric shear plates and corresponding cutters, and said springsystem comprises uniform-pitch conical springs disposed about saidshaft.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each spring comprisesan arrangement of three parallel-connected leaf springs.